Goldfish Don't Wave

Over the winter holiday, I brought home my yellow-bellied slider (turtle) from my kindergarten classroom aquarium to live in the little pond by our front door. Two weeks was just too long to leave her untended. I saw her a few times in the pond, but after we returned from our Christmas out of town, she had not been sighted,  Knowing the children would miss her, I bought ten small goldfish and put them in the school aquarium.

The first morning back to school, the children first noticed  that I had changed a classroom helper job from "turtle feeder" to "fish feeder." They were intrigued and then noticed the fish ---and no turtle. They were full of questions. I still believed that the turtle might be hanging out in the mud in the bottom so I told them if she wakes up and appears, we can decide if we want the fish and turtle to trade places. They were fine with that.

But later in the morning, I overheard a discussion that was to the effect that when they used to put their finger up to the glass, the turtle would wave ---she would wiggle her claws-- but that the fish don't wave. I had to point out that fish don't have feet or arms to wave with and maybe they wave with their fins.

One warm day over the weekend, I looked out and saw the turtle floating in the pond! Phew!